[kj] OT: "Punk" band Yellowcard to tour Mid-East as part of USO"support the troops" campaign

[B. Oliver Sheppard]

Maybe I shouldn't have got the pot stirring so early this morning (in 
the US).

I just read George Berger's excellent (but sorrily out of print) Story 
of Crass, an Xmas gift from my gf, and reading it has definitely 
re-emboldened my thinking on this kind of stuff. Their "Sheep Farming in 
the Falklands" single was essentially a dig at Brit troops that 
participated in the Falklands invasion -- and about 1,100 of them died 
"defending" that lump of rock. For the US, Afghanistan is one thing, 
Iraq is another.

The idea in the US that people "have to go into the Army to go to 
college," etc, reminds me of the arguments that strippers make that they 
have to become strippers to support themselves through school. If that's 
true -- how come so many don't do it and also get trough school, from 
just-as-modest backgrounds? I'd rather folks be strippers, in any event. 
There is America Corps, a domestic US civil service organization, that 
offers a lot of the same college money, career benefits, etc., that the 
US army does, in any event. But folks choose the army instead.

I'm sure Rollins hates Bush, etc. But he went to Iraq and released 
something the title of which is obviously exploiting Abu Ghraib and 
builds his "I'm an extreme, hard dude" image.

-Oliver

*Rollins Returns to Middle East

*/Thu May 13, 9:07 PM ET By John D. Luerssen /

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Iconic punk vocalist Henry Rollins (news) will 
participate in a USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour of the Persian Gulf 
this month as part of National Military Appreciation Month. The singer, 
author, actor and monologist, who traveled to Afghanistan and Qatar last 
December as part of a meet-and-greet with troops, will again offer a 
boost of encouragement to soldiers stationed in the Gulf.

[...]


>  

> Here's Henry talking about the Bush administration, the Iraq war and 

> his USO service:

>

> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWhNQ2GLFkE

> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94cQMq85hek&feature=related 

> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94cQMq85hek&feature=related>

> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dgxyLtJoBw&feature=related 

> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dgxyLtJoBw&feature=related>

>  

> I like his direct style  --- what he lacks in elegance he more than 

> makes up for with competence.

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> _______________________________________________

> Gathering mailing list

> Gathering at misera.net

> http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering

>